1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with an improvement in an emergency system for alerting personal, moving vehicles of approaching emergency vehicles.
The current invention is concerned with the protection of the common motorist on the road when an emergency vehicle is approaching on its way to an emergency sight or to a medical provider. Emergency vehicles include police vehicles, fire trucks and paramedic vehicles. The invention is also concerned with the safety of the emergency vehicle""s passengers as it drives through the common roadways. The invention is also concerned with protecting motorists from potential collisions with the emergency vehicles. It is a public policy, and certainly a public benefit, to have a path cleared for the emergency vehicle as it is approaching the emergency sight or medical provider. When emergency vehicles are responding to an emergency, they do not follow all of the normal routes, procedures and speed limits. Motorists unaware of an approaching emergency vehicle are at a high risk to cause or be involved in an accident as the emergency vehicle is approaching or passing by the motorist. The current invention will minimize such risk. The invention will increase the emergency vehicle""s experience of a clear, unobstructed path. Such a path will help to reduce any collisions and accidents involving the emergency vehicle or other motorists around the emergency vehicle. Furthermore, response time to emergencies is critical. The current invention will foster a quicker response time by the emergency vehicle to the emergency sight and to the medical provider.
Currently, many emergency vehicles are equipped with a transmitting unit, the Global Positioning System (commonly and herein referred to as xe2x80x9cGPSxe2x80x9d). A GPS signaling unit is mounted on the dashboard of the emergency vehicle. The GPS signaling unit sends a signal to traffic lights in the emergency vehicle""s path. The emergency vehicle can then clear the path for itself by turning the signals in its path green while turning the cross traffic signals red. The current GPS signaling unit is mounted on the dashboard of the emergency vehicle. In contrast, the current invention, the Driver""s Emergency Alert System, would utilize a receiving unit located in the personal vehicle which would receive a signal from the approaching emergency vehicle, thereby alerting the driver of the personal vehicle of the approaching emergency vehicle.
In the current invention, the receiver in the personal vehicle could be mounted virtually anywhere in the personal vehicle, could be programmed to receive signals from the current GPS transmissions or could use an entirely different technology. Upon receiving the signal, the personal vehicle""s receiving unit would then activate an alert system within the personal vehicle, of either an auditory and/or visual nature, such as activating the door chimes, a dedicated alarm for such emergencies, the vehicle""s current lights, or a dedicated light(s) or indicator(s) for such emergencies. Such alert would allow the driver of the personal vehicle time to pull out of the way of the emergency vehicle. Thus the invention will increase safety and response time to emergencies, and thereby save lives.
2. Related Prior Art
It is known that 3M Transportation Systems has a system entitled the Opticom Priority Control System or other similar title. This system provides a method of turning intersection lights green in the path of oncoming emergency vehicles, providing the safest and quickest avenue for the emergency vehicle to reach the emergency scene or medical provider. It enables the emergency vehicle driver to control the intersections by controlling the lights in the emergency vehicle""s path and the lights of the cross traffic cutting across the emergency vehicle""s path.
The Opticom Priority Control System basically works with three components: First, an emitter (first component) is mounted on the emergency vehicle, usually on its roof. It sends a coded optical message to the detector (second component), mounted above the traffic signal. The detector converts the optical message to an electronic impulse and sends it to the phase selector (third component) in the intersection controller cabinet. If the traffic light is already green, the phase selector tells the controller to hold the light green until the emergency vehicle passes. If the traffic light is red, the phase selector requests the controller to provide an early green traffic light, cycling through a yellow light to avoid any confusion to motorists and pedestrians. Once the emergency vehicle passes through the intersection, the system returns the traffic signal to its normal operation. Such a system has been installed in more than 35,000 intersection across the United States and Canada, and has earned a track record over years of sustained quality performance.
However, to date, despite the years of using the above system, no invention has been invented which gives a signal and an alert directly to the personal moving vehicles surrounding the emergency vehicle. Today, such a system has been invented by Applicant.
The Sorden Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,197, teaches a vehicle location system.
The Rode Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,874, teaches an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System for controlling vehicles moving down the road and refers to issues pertaining to the Global Positioning System and infrared technology.
It has now been discovered that an emergency alert system may be implemented that signals any personal vehicle; that is, one owned by any private citizen; that an emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance or fire truck is approaching. Thus, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, Applicant has discovered a method for alerting a personal vehicle of an approaching emergency vehicle comprising transmitting an emergency signal from the emergency vehicle, receiving the emergency signal in the personal vehicle, and alerting the driver of the personal vehicle that the emergency vehicle is approaching; and the underlying process for an Emergency Alert System comprising a Transmitting Means located in an emergency vehicle for transmitting an Emergency Signal indicating that the emergency vehicle is approaching, a Receiving Means located in a personal vehicle for receiving the Emergency Signal from the Transmitting Means, and an Alert Means triggered by the Receiving Means to alert the driver of the personal vehicle that the emergency vehicle is approaching.
There are several objects of this invention. One object of the invention is to protect motorists from potential collisions with emergency vehicles. When emergency vehicles are responding to an emergency, they do not follow all of the normal routes, procedures and speed limits. Motorists unaware of an approaching emergency vehicle are at a high risk to cause or be involved in an accident as the emergency vehicle is approaching or passing by the motorist. The invention will minimize such risk. A further object of the invention is to allow emergency vehicles a clear, unobstructed path. Such a path will help to reduce any collisions and accidents involving the emergency vehicle or other motorists around the emergency vehicle. A further object of the invention is to foster a quicker response time by the emergency vehicle to the emergency sight.